Sunday, January 17, 2010

Similac vs. Enfamil...

If you don't currently have a baby or one on the way, you may not find this very interesting but I wanted to share this interesting finding-at least I find it interesting.

Ever since I stopped nursing Bennett he's been on Enfamil Gentlease formula. We had Harper on this and she did fine plus anything to prevent gas or fussiness or whatever sounds good to me so we stuck with it for Bennett. Since his heart surgery he has become quite the good eater until recently, within the last few weeks, he hasn't finished all of his bottles and had a lot of spillage out of his mouth and he was getting better with that.

So I ran out of the Enfamil one day and remembered I had a unopened Similac Advanced can from when he was the born (the hospital gave us some). As I was mixing it I noticed how easily it mixed-no clumps-the Gentlease always had clumps! Anyways, he chugged that bottle down within 5 minutes without stopping- all 8 ounces! He continued to do that for all of his bottles that day!

Well I finally got around to buying more formula and instead of purchasing the Similac, I just couldn't let go of the Gentlease so I purchased it once again. Wouldn't you know, he started spilling and not finishing his bottles. So during a feed I decided just to try the Similac once more and quickly made him a bottle (he had 2 ounces of the Gentlease and acted like he didn't want any more) and again, he chugged it-6 ounces under 5 minutes! I don't know what it is about this formula but he loves it and I think I'm going to have to switch brands! Even Ainsley was on Enfamil, I've just always been an Enfamil mom but it doesn't make sense to stick with something if the baby's not going to drink it. It is strange though that he is just now not liking it, whatever.

Any other Similac lovers out there? If feels strange to switch after all this time but to have 5 minute feeds- you can't beat that, plus no clumps- I'm loving it!!

I am a Similac lover because my son Ethan wouldn't have it any other way! I'm not sure what it is about this formula - but he loved it! I am about to try formula for Emily so Jason and I can get away for a day and it will be the first one I try, I'll let you know what she thinks :-)

We're definitely on Team Similac! My son and I never could get the hang of nursing. I pumped for five LOOOOOOONG months but started supplementing with formula around 3 months. He was on all formula by 6 months. We used Similac - only becuase that's what they gave us in teh hospital. But he loved it. Never had issues switching from breastmilk to formula; it was super easy to mix up; he never had gas issues, etc. He got an upset stomach a few times from a stomach bug and/or antibiotics - we'd switch to Similac Alimentum during those times -- it's super expensive and smells awful, but it worked . It was gentle on his upset system and he could hold it down/in much better than regular formula. After a few days we'd go back to regular Similac and he'd be fine!

With Piper, I switched totally based on the clumping issue. When we were in Texas picking up Max, I heard some report on the radio about how all brands of formula are so regulated, that there's no 'bad' brand, so the cheaper store brands are just as healthy. So we've been using Costo's Kirkland brand. He's obviously been thriving on it fine, but I still wonder if the other brands are better! Our pediatrician says its fine, though.

My daughter was given enfamil in the hospital when she was born. She cried with gas pains from it. Then doctor switched her to Simalac. Still she cried with pains so one more switch... Isomil she went on to. Wala... no problems and she was a happy camper. When my second son was born, I gave him Simalac, he vomited it. The doctor switched him to Isomil (soy based). By my third child, I nursed him and when the change came to formula... Well, Isomil it was!

When my son (now 4) stopped nursing, we went with Simalac (only cause we had a free can in the pantry)- and he LOVED IT!! It's the only brand we've ever used, and I was very happy with it! If Bennett is likes it, that's all that matters :)

I use Similac with both my kids (Lauren's on milk now of course - she's 2). She was on Similac Soy until she was a year, because we thought she was lactose-intolerant (just undiagnosed acid reflux).When Avery was born, we started her on Similac advanced (the blue one) but she kept throwing up. So we put her on the sensitive kind, and she does fine.

She can also tolerate the Target Sensitive brand, but not the Gerber brand. We've never tried Enfamil.

We have been fortifying Caydence's breastmilk with Similac Neosure since she was born. After 8 mos I just stopped pumping and now will be using just the Similac neosure powder. Hopefully she'll start to get better at sucking on the bottle :)

Joey is a big fan of the Costco (Kirkland brand) formula. Our pediatrician gave us Nestle good starts and he loved that too. But when I ran out of the 8 cans of Goodstarts that the Pediatrician gave us... and saw how much the formula costs (almost $30 a can) I had to try the Kirkland stuff which is $19 for two 1 lb cans). I noticed the ingrediants were the same as the Emfamil and Similac. Anyway glad he likes the cheaper stuff which I am sure is just as good.

We've been using Similac Advance since day 1 with Camden. Early on we noticed some spit up and in talking with some others and reading info online, we discovered Similar RS (Rice Starch). We've been mixing half-half of Advance/Rich Starch and it's helped reduce the spit-up for our little Camden.

We used Similac for both Gavin & Ainsley. But Skylar's been a different story. She's got a sensitive tummy, so I've had to use the orange-top one, I think it's for fussiness & gas. It helped her spitting up so much that we've been able to stop the meds that the doc gave us. Yea!!

Kaitlyn has had both similac and enfamil, she does fine with both. Go to strongmoms.com and sign up, they will send you a sheet of $5 coupons. When you combine the coupon with the 32oz Sam's Club deal it works out to be a great steal...$23. Can't beat it!

You wouldn't believe it! I did a google search a about this just now and you came up! HAHA. The very first website to show up...and I was like, "HEY I know that site!" I probably saw your post before but didn't think anything of it at the time...I've fed Emmett 100% until 5mo, after that I used Enfamil to suppliment about 25%. Then after just a couple weeks of him having the formula, for an entire week he threw up his formula bottle each day we gave it to him, then he just flat out refused to drink it. What happened? So I freaked out and started pumping like crazy again. I'm back to 100%, but I want a backup because I have no milk stored up. So Kevin is at the store right now picking up Similac to try it out. You make me feel better about my choice :-) Aria was on Emfamil too for 7mo and never had an issue. Happy Feeding!

HAVE YOU EVER TRIED THAT STUFF YOURSELF?My daughter was on Enfamil and she enjoyed it. One day I decided to taste it for myself and it was so bad I almost vomited. I went to get similac and it tasted So much better, so that is what she is on now. She didn't have a problem with either brand, but I couldn't feed my child something that I wouldn't drink myself. The pre-mixed brand of enfamil is fine taste-wise(but who can afford that stuff?) it is the powered version that tastes like crap.

I breastfed for 10 months and supplemented on occasion using Enfamil and it clogged my daughter right up . We tried the Prosobee, Enfamil premium lipil, and Gentlease. With no avail and after a while she wouldn't take a bottle of anything, after trying the gentlease. Which smells like feet. Right now were using Similac Organic and doing great.

Our one month old started on similac at the hospital and he liked it. I actually tried it my self and it tasted OK. Then we switched to the Sam's club equivalent of Enfamil called Lipids and since then Andreas is getting fussy and has gas problems. His stool looks better though. We are thinking of switcing back to similac.

I'm a new mommie my son is about to be 4months. I have lots of questions about formulas. I was breastfeeding for the first 2months, then I stopped producing enough milk. Its pretty sad, I feel bad bc i was so set on breastfeeding and bottle formula feeding. I feel like I cheated my son out of the boobie. My son has been on different types of similac and on that he tends to have lots of spit up & constant throwing up & we wait days for him to poop, that's pretty much on all similacs. On enfamil he seems to do better not as much spit up and has bm's usually on the daily, which to me is good. I just don't know what's better or the best formula. Similac says their the closest to breastmilk. But I just want him to be happy so i guess ill stay on enfamil. Anyone know how to get more boobie milk? Pls help. Also I heard switching and changing formuals isn't good. Anyone know

This won't help you since it's way to late but maybe it will help someone with a similar problem. A nutritionist in my town was talking about the problem of low milk production and she said that a mother could increase production by eating 6 cups of protein a day (1 cups of meat protein for 3 meals and 1 cup of nut protein for 3 snacks), and lots of water (as close to a gallon a day as possible). Also just continual pumping and nursing should help.

my son is due in january and im not comfortable with breast feeding so ive been looking into what formula to buy. the walmart brand comapres to either similac and emfamil and i dont know which i want to give to him. its nice to hear real peoples views on the issue rather than just what the makers of the formulas say.

We used Similac with my daughter. She's 18 months old now, and we're still feeding her one cup a day of the toddler Go and Grow. We chose this one because our pediatrician told us about an ingredient that all of the other formula companies use called Palm Olein oil. I guess it causes harder poops and keeps calcium from being absorbed in the babe's body. Similac has some study that shows the babies have more bone strength than Enfamil babes do. Talk to your doctors, but that was enough for me! Team Similac all the way!!!

Stumbled upon your blogs while researching about which formula to use for my little angel. Just wanted to thank you for your informative opinion about the subject (Enfamil vs. Similac) and also, your little Bennett is such a sweetheart. Looking forward to more photos and updates on Bennett. He's such a brave little warrior!

I thought it was just me! It seems that no one I know that uses Enfamil can use the regular formula. I noticed you were able to use the regular formula with Similac. Don't forget to contact the company to get those coupons!

I am pregnant with my son and due in October, my daughter is 6. I breastfed for a few months with her and I just wasn't producing so we had to supplement. My daughter was horrid whenwe were all forumla it only lasted a week before the pediatrician said her belly sounded like popcorn which meant lots of gas and she just was not digesting the regular formula. He switched us immediately to Similac Alimentum, talk about price scare I thought we would be broke. While talking to my insurance company on her birth I had mentioned it and she said it was covered, might take a little work, but its covered if prescribed by the doctor for an ailment. Sure enough one prescription faxed over and we were covered! It was so helpful we did have to pay a copay for the forumula, BUT it was delivered on a monthly basis. The problem was stopping delivery once she hit one we tried to switch over. Until she was confirmed over to milk they wouldn't stop shipping I had to fight with them to stop and then they wouldn't take it back. We had a hefty donatation to our doctors office who promised they would give it to a family who could not afford it. We got a nice thank you note from them sometime late and it was nice to see it go to someonewho needed it. The other problem she was not able to drink normal milk until almost 2 we had gotten her on Goats Milk after the formula switch at 14 months per the doctor it would be closest to formula and breast milk.When we had started we had tried Enfamil, but the consistency was so different to Similac which seemed thicker and easier to mix. If you have a gasy baby I highly reccomend NOT shaking or doing anything that creates bubbles (limit the bubbles) and use a drop or two of gas drops in there to help clear the bubbles (this was directed by our pediatrician). This made HUGE difference for our daughter was just was a gas monster!

I am still breasfeeding but now i have to suplement once a day due to work... I been using Similac first go give it a try i bought the premade bottles with the orange cap and my son loved it no problem there he takes the bottle well i found a good Special on Enfamil and bought 1 can, nedless to say My son just decided he wanted to throw that thing at me... he just did not like the taste at all... i got lucky a friend just gave me a can of powder Similac Advance i made him a bottle of it and he down that thing like a champ... I guess Similac it is...

looking into formula now that my milk supply is dwindling...gosh! how depressing!!i have been doing my research and i am loving the similac vs enfamil discussions. i think i will try similac first and enfamil as a back up option. will let you know how it works out. Thanks guys for thsi wonderful information, glad I stumbled on this website

I guess it's been a while but for the mom who asked how to get more "boobie milk", just keep pumping or/and give your baby the breasts often, (every 2-2.5hours, instead of 3-4 hours). Your body will make more depending on how much you pump and how much you breastfeed. Also, don't forget to drink plenty of milk and liquid yourself. Prenatal vitamins and Omega supplements are good for Moms and breastmilk.

Just so everyone knows te difference in Similac and the other brands.. While they are regulated similac is the ONLY brand that does not contain Palm Olein oil which has been proven to cause difficulties with digesting the formulas as well as gas. Enfamil, Target Up and Up, almost all of them have that oil in it listed in the top 10 ingredients. Similac does not.. Eve the Enfamil gentle, Gerber gentle have the oil in it... My youngest had reflux problems and even on breast milk would spit up, when I decided to switch to formula I started with similac, her reflux got better and no gas, and it wasn't even "special" formula! This is why we choose similac! I wish more moms knew about the Palm Olein!!!!

We love similac, I think it is higher quality and processed better. We tried Enfamil and my baby ate slower, had more spit up and a significant increase in diarrhea. My baby is 6 weeks old and I am sticking with similiac.

similac has a lot more sugar. all formulas are pretty much the same though. it is highly regulated by the FDA. so even generic is fine. generic organic is best (like kroger, walmart, etc.. just as good as similac and enfamil). also, kroger has a discount card :)

I just had my second baby boy 6 weeks ago, ive been using the Similac to give to him along with my breast milk because I will be going back to work very soon... Unfortunately. .. But yeah I don't think he likes it much, its hard to get him to drink all of it... and he's gassy and fussy and I think constipated because he doesnt make daily BM like he used to.... I just got a Enfamil Package in the mail that came with 4 different types including the Gentle ease, I'm going to try that out and see how it goes!! : )

When my daughter was born I did breast milk and formula (similar). She loved Similac, than a family member told me about WIC and after applying and getting accepted they didn't cover Similac instead they covered Enfamil. My daughter hated it, she made all types of faces and it was so bitter compared to similac and she didn't drink more than 2 ounces. needless to say I had to end buying Similac for her and just stopped WIC all together there was no use for it anymore if they can't cover Similac lol